Beer

To better consider Brooklyn Brew Shop’s beer making kit–which we love and will be demonstrating on this blog in the near future–we asked a professional brewer to give it a test drive.

Our friend Andy Arguelles at Two Beers Brewing Company, which is right down the street from our photo studio in Seattle, said he’d give it a whirl. After he played around with Brooklyn Brew Shop’s kit for a few days, we called him and asked what he thought.

Here’s Andy on the beer kit, his favorite parts of the brewing process and which beers to pair with meals you will almost certainly cook/eat this week.

Introducing part one of our Fun Fun Fun Fest coverage from Austin, Texas, as seen through the analog lens of acclaimed music blog Gorilla vs. Bear—presented by Topman and Nordstrom Men’s Shop for your visual and auditory enjoyment.

Yesterday marked the grand opening of our French Fling Pop-In Shop—a curated selection of eclectic and often exclusive French-themed goods from Rodarte, Kitsuné, A.P.C. and many more. We celebrated here in Seattle by throwing a packed soirée with free PBR, a crêpe truck, and vintage-surf-tinged tunes by amazing pop-punk band La Sera.

At both the in-store shop and the after-party, our friends documented the stylish debauchery via le Instagram. The photos below are our favorites collected from hashtag #NordstromPOP.

On Tuesday, September 24, menswear maestros and eternal pranksters Shipley & Halmos will take over our @NordstromMen Instagram feed. We’re very excited, and marginally frightened, to see what they come up with. (Judging from their own Insta antics, it might involve classic cars, sock puppets, cold ones, handsome canines, and donut-fueled feats of strength.)

Whatever goes down tomorrow, we trust that Sam Shipley (R) and Jeff Halmos (L) will adhere to the tenets of @NordstromMen, and “Keep it classy, people.” Tune in tomorrow and see for yourself.

Just in time for tomorrow’s Fourth of July festivities, our very own Nordstrom Restaurant team came through with some sophisticated flavor sensations—both of which can be prepped with ease on your trusty backyard grill. (For more amazing recipes by our own in-house chefs, pick up a copy of the Nordstrom Family Table Cookbook.)

[click recipe to enlarge & print]

[click each recipe page to enlarge & print]

As far as beverages go, our friends at GQ have a backyard BBQ article of their own out currently (with some great recipes—grilled banana split? yes please), in which they recommend Jarritos and Tecate as beverages of choice. We can certainly appreciate south-of-the-border refreshments on a hot day—especially with killer salsa, see past recipe here—but we asked our resident brew expert, Rail buyer Dan Drewes, for his favorite Fourth of July thirst quenchers:

“I always appreciate Budweiser’s flag-emblazoned holiday boxes and cans—but I think that in Seattle [home of Nordstrom HQ], Rainier seems like the all-American thing to drink. (On days that start with a mimosa or two, it’s all low-gravity beers for the rest of the day. Save the strong stuff for days you’re having less than three or four.)”

We dug up the vintage pub signs above on Ye Olde Internette, but whether you’re here in our hometown of Seattle or residing in the Mother Country, we’re betting your plans include a favorite Irish pub for this Sunday’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities. Avoid getting pinched by winsome lasses at the bar (or don’t—whatever you’re into) with our favorite green gear from the Nordstrom Men’s Shop. Click each item to shop:

One of our Men’s buyers, Dan Drewes, took a moment to suggest some recreational activities for the holiday. Here’s how to branch out from the standard-issue stout, if you’re so inclined:

1. The Other Champagne of Beers. “Guinness is the natural choice, but you can always opt for elevating the classic Irish stout with some champagne as a Black Velvet.”

2. Go Halvsies. “You can also go with the classic Black and Tan: a Guinness layered over some British Bass Pale Ale—or keep it Irish by layering it over a Harp Lager.”

3. Made by Monks. “Smithwick’s is a good Irish red for a nice caramel-malty beer. Their story dates back to the 13th century.”

4. Across the Pond. “Boddingtons is a good English ‘pub ale’ or pale ale to sip on if you’re not looking for something as dark as a Guinness—and is popular for the holiday despite its non-Irish roots.”

5. Irish Americans. “Plenty of American craft-brewers have tried their hands at Irish beers, too—like Victory ‘Donnybrook Stout’ out East and Moylan’s ‘Danny’s Irish Style Red Ale’ for us West-Coasters.”

Whether you’re trying to surprise a holiday-party host with something special (and don’t know your way around a recipe) or simply want to cozy up fireside with your significant other and something stronger than hot cocoa, a cold-weather cold one can be man’s best friend. We tapped brew connoisseur Walker Pruett to present a few favorites. Read on for his top 5—and don’t forget something stylish on which to rest your glass.

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‘Tis the season, now that pumpkin beers are waning, for my favorite beer seasonal of all. Many breweries’ best beers come out in celebration of the winter holidays, and nothing salves the psyche on a dark, cold winter’s night like one of these hearty and luscious brews. Here are my top picks (in no particular order) for seasonally appropriate imbibing:

Sierra Nevada ‘Celebration’ 6.8% ABV (alcohol by volume)
An archetype of the special beer for special occasions, ‘Celebration’ is hop-forward and balanced. It is technically superb and eminently satisfying, giving hop-heads something to look forward to among the spiced and malty milieu that dominates the holiday beer landscape.

Anchor ‘Our Special Ale’ (aka Christmas Ale)5.5% ABV
This highly anticipated release from one of the progenitors of the American craft-beer movement is fun because it’s a surprise every year. ‘OSA’ features a perennially changing recipe of secret malts, hops and spices, yet it consistently delights. This year’s iteration carries aromas of allspice, with subtle vanilla and wintergreen; flavors are of dark toffee and smoky black pepper. These elements act beautifully in concert to deliver a refreshing winter draught.

Brasserie Dupont ‘Bons Voeux’
9.5% ABV
It’s no coincidence this seasonal Belgian gem comes in a champagne wrapper, as the quaint farmhouse brewery isn’t much more than spitting-distance from the Champagne region of France. The beer is lively and succulent, with underlying hints of sweets and spices. It makes an excellent stand-in for holiday toasts.

Samuel Smith ‘Oatmeal Stout’
5% ABV
We’re lucky enough to be able to drink this delicious tipple from one of England’s most heralded breweries all year long. Oats in the mash make this beer silky on the palate, while roasted malts contribute pervasive semi-sweet chocolate notes. The result resembles a liquid dark-chocolate ganache, though it’s light enough that a whole pint isn’t too tall an order.

By Walker Pruett, brewer and beer enthusiast living in Portland, Oregon. When in Portland, be sure to check out PDXBEERCALENDAR.COM for a full listing of Portland’s daily beer events.

Daniel Drewes, one of our online buyers, recommended six of his favorite top-shelf, small-batch beers for Labor Day weekend—all of which come in handy aluminum cans.

Once a sure sign of low-brow beers (no disrespect, cheap beer holds a place in our heart too), cans are suddenly a fast-growing movement in the craft brewing industry, which has traditionally stuck to bottles. Now, with options like the six below, even brew connoisseurs like Daniel can grip an all-American aluminum can with confidence.

Best part? They’re practical. The thin metal blocks light better than glass, gets colder faster in a cooler, and eliminates the risk of broken glass when things get rowdy (and isn’t that the goal?) at your barbecue, campsite or tailgate party.

1. New Belgium ‘Shift’ Pale Lager.“My new favorite session beer [lower alcohol volume]. Some good hop flavor, but a nice day-drinker to round out summer and start fall tailgates.”

2. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.“One of the most widely distributed craft beers—it’s my old standby when I’m at a bar that doesn’t have a more diverse selection. I love a good hop flavor, and this one’s mild enough to be a good session ale.”

3. Fort George ‘Sunrise’ OPA.“Fort George is a great new brewery out of Astoria, Oregon. They make a great oatmeal pale—the oatmeal gives it a nice creaminess for a pale ale, while it still has good hop aroma and bitterness.”